TO T

HE E

NDS

OF

THE

EART

HAN INTERACTIVE MISSION TRIP JOURNAL

ironhillpress.com

Church & Ministry/Ministry Resources/Youth MinistryISBN 10: 193583262XISBN 13: 9781935832621

If you’re planning on serving on a mission trip of some kind, whether down the street or around the globe, you’re doing so in response to Jesus’ command in Acts 1:8. You’re living out your identity as a Christ-follower. Because not only were Jesus’ words in Acts 1:8 a command, they were a description. As a follower of Christ, you are His witness. You are empowered by the Spirit to share the Gospel wherever you go. You are God’s plan to grow His Kingdom.

But as you go and make disciples, it’s important to make sure you prepare your heart and mind to powerfully impact the world in the name of Christ. This is where To The Ends Of The Earth comes in.

To The Ends Of The Earth is an interactive, 4-week journal designed to help you get the most out of your missions experience. Here’s how it works:

WEEK 1: PREPPING FOR YOUR MISSIONThis week will help you prepare for the mission trip you’re about to take.

WEEK 2: ON MISSIONThis week is all about getting the most out of your time on mission.

WEEK 3: REFLECTING ON THE MISSIONThis week will equip you to look back and process all that God was trying to show you while on your trip.

WEEK 4: YOUR MISSION MOVING FORWARDThis week will help you build off what you learned on your trip and apply it to your life beyond your mission experience.

“BUT YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS COME UPON YOU, AND YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES IN JERUSALEM AND IN ALL JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND TO THE END OF THE EARTH.”

Acts 1:8

TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH

servantlife.com

TO T

HE E

NDS

OF

THE

EART

H

AN INTERACTIVE MISSION TRIP JOURNAL

TO TH E EN DS OF TH E EARTH AN INTERACTIVE DEVOTIONAL JOURNAL

© 2017 by youthministry360. All rights reserved.Published by Iron Hill Press, a division of youthministry360, Inc., in partnership with Servant Life, in the United States of America.

ISBN 13: 978-1-935832-62-1ISBN 10: 1-935832-62-X

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or trans-mitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, audio recording, digital scanning, or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

Any reference within this piece to Internet addresses of web sites not under the ad-ministration of youthministry360 is not to be taken as an endorsement of these web sites by youthministry360; neither does youthministry360 vouch for their content.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITHPUBLISHED BY

TA-

BLE O

F CO

N-TE

NTS TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH

Introduction 1How This Book Works 2

Week 1 Preview 3Week 1, Day 1 5Week 1, Day 2 7Week 1, Day 3 9Week 1, Day 4 11Week 1, Day 5 13Week 1, Day 6 15Week 1, Day 7 16

Week 2 Preview 19Week 2, Day 1 21Week 2, Day 2 23Week 2, Day 3 25Week 2, Day 4 27Week 2, Day 5 29Week 2, Day 6 31Week 2, Day 7 32

W E E KWeek 3 Preview 35Week 3, Day 1 37Week 3, Day 2 39Week 3, Day 3 41Week 3, Day 4 43Week 3, Day 5 45Week 3, Day 6 47Week 3, Day 7 48

Week 4 Preview 51Week 4, Day 1 53Week 4, Day 2 55Week 4, Day 3 57Week 4, Day 4 59Week 4, Day 5 61Week 4, Day 6 63Week 4, Day 7 64

About the Authors 65

ONE W E E K TWO W E E K THREE W E E K FOUR

PREPPING FOR YOUR MISSION ON MISSION REFLECTING ON THE MISSION YOUR MISSION MOVING FORWARD

WHAT IS THIS BOOK ALL ABOUT?

Read those words at the top of the page. Recognize them? These were words Jesus spoke to His disciples. And according to Luke, the author of Acts, they were the last words Jesus spoke on this earth.

It’s an understatement to say that God’s plan to send Jesus to this earth to live, minister, die, and arise from the dead was a pretty big deal. It’s the biggest deal in history. Know-ing this, we can’t put enough emphasis on Jesus’ final words. They were the end cap on a plan that had been in motion for eternity.

What Jesus says here at the end of His time on earth is likely the motivation for you holding this book in your hands. Let us explain . . .

If you’re planning on serving on a mission trip of some kind, whether down the street or around the globe, you’re doing so in response to Jesus’ command in Acts 1:8. You’re living out your identity as a Christ-follower. Because not only were Jesus’ words in Acts 1:8 a command, they were a description. As a follower of Christ, you ARE His witnesses. You ARE empowered by the Spirit to share the Gospel wherever you go. You ARE God’s plan to grow His Kingdom.

If you’re reading this book, you are most likely getting ready to embark on a missions experience. When we engage with missions, it not only helps those we serve, it changes our view of our own faith. Serving on a mission trip broadens our understanding of God’s Kingdom. The experience creates in us a deeper understanding of God and His heart for the world. But more than anything, God uses our faithful participation in missions to bring glory to Himself and spread the beautiful story of the Gospel to those who need it the most.

As you prepare for your missions experience, let this book be your guide in getting all you can out of your time spent serving. Let God speak to you about the work He is doing in you and through you. And keep your eyes open for how you can continue to be the hands and feet of Christ long after your mission trip is over.

HOW TO THE

ENDS OF THE EARTH

WORKS

To The Ends Of The Earth is an interactive journal designed to help you get the most out of your missions experience. We’ve designed it to allow you to prepare for your trip, process your trip, and build on your experience moving forward. This is ac-complished through the various purposes of the four weeks.

HERE’S HOW EACH WEEK BREAKS DOWN AND WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT:

WEEK 1: PREPPING FOR YOUR MISSION The Bible study and activities in this week will help you prepare your heart and mind for your mission.

WEEK 2: ON MISSIONThe studies and activities this week will empower you to maxi-mize your time serving on mission.

WEEK 3: REFLECTING ON THE MISSION This week will equip you to look back on your time and fully process all that God was trying to show you while on your trip.

WEEK 4: YOUR MISSION MOVING FORWARD This week will help you build off what you learned on your trip and apply it to your life as you move beyond your mission experience.

ONE MORE THOUGHT . . . Plenty of people go on mission trips. For some of these people, the trip itself doesn’t have much lasting impact. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Your mission experience can be a platform upon which you build a vibrant faith. But you have to be intentional about listening for what God is showing you, and putting it to use in your life long after your trip. This journal can help you do that. So, prayerfully work through this journal in a spirit of discovery, expecting God to move, and watching to see what He wants to show you.

“BUT YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS COME UPON YOU, AND YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES IN JERUSALEM AND IN ALL JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND TO THE END OF THE EARTH.” – ACTS 1:8

1 2

WEE

KO N EPREPPING FOR YOUR MISSION

Would you go out on a date without taking a shower and/or putting on makeup?

Would you go into a final without studying?

Would you post a pic to Instagram without looking at it first?

The answer to each of these should be “no.” (Some of you may answer, “yes” to one or more of these. But you’d be wrong.) We want to look our best on dates. We have to study to do well on finals. And you have to get that Instagram pic just right.

There is a word that speaks to each of these questions: preparation. Before you take action, you prepare. You ready yourself for the date, or the test, or the super awesome picture of the donut you’re eating. Without preparation, your experience won’t be all it could be.

The same is true for your mission experience. Even more so. You’re about to embark on an opportunity that has the potential to be life/faith changing. Preparing your heart and mind for what you’re about to see and do is the key to getting the most impact out of the time you spend on mission. That’s what this week is all about.

So, dig in. Give each day your full attention. Expect for God to move. And get busy preparing yourself for your mission trip.

DAY 1: WHAT THE GOSPEL IS

DAY 2: HOW THE GOSPEL COMPELS YOUR MISSION

DAY 3: THE IMPACT THE GOSPEL MAKES ONCE IT'S HEARD

DAY 4: HOW YOUR SHARE THE GOSPEL

DAY 5: WHY YOU SHARE THE GOSPEL

DAY 6: PRAYERFULLY PREPARING YOUR HEART

DAY 7: REVIEW AND REFLECT

WHATto expectthis week

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Have you ever had to read much Greek mythology for school? If so, you no doubt remember the character, Helen. The daughter of Zeus, Helen was pictured both in literature and in art as the most beautiful woman in the world. And so it was a big deal when, according to the myth, Paris, Prince of Troy, kidnapped Helen from Greece and took her to Troy. This, of course, started the Trojan War.

In 1604, playwright Christopher Marlow, one of Shakespeare’s contemporaries, wrote a play entitled Doctor Faustus. In the play, a character very famously connects Helen’s beauty with the Trojan War when he says, “Was this the face that launched a thousand ships?” This line is awesome because it poetically captures the reason why the Greeks set sail for Troy.

You are embarking on your own endeavor. You are about to undertake a mission. As you are preparing to go, let’s ask a question: What is it that launched your ship? What caused you to say “yes” to this opportunity?

While you may answer this question in a few different ways, at the heart of every decision to go on a mission trip is the belief that people need to know God and experience His love. In a word, the GOSPEL is at the heart of why we go on mission. It is why we do what we do.

Let’s spend a few moments getting re-acquainted with the Gospel, shall we? One of the most succinct descriptions of the Gospel in all of Scripture is found in John 3:16-18. Now, this is a super familiar passage, and sometimes this over-familiarity can cause us to miss how amazing the truth of this passage is. So, here’s a challenge for you. Carefully read this passage and then re-write it in your own words below, summarizing its message as thoroughly as you can.

WEEK 1DAY 1

OK, so, you’ve articulated the basics of what the Gospel is. Let’s spend a few minutes really thinking about how the Gospel impacts us and those around us.

Why do people need to hear and act on the Gospel? (This question seems basic, but it’s vitally important that you internalize this truth.)

According to what Jesus says here, and biblical writers say elsewhere in the New Testament, what has to happen for people to come to a saving faith in Jesus?

How is the Gospel communicated? In other words, how is it spread and shared?

Here’s the truth: Outside of Jesus Himself, every single human who has ever existed has a sin problem. Our sin separates us from a holy God. The Apostle Paul says in Romans that the punishment for sin is death (Rom. 6:23). And since we are by nature sinful, we can’t do anything to get rid of our sin problem. There’s no scenario under our own power where we can make the punishment for our sins go away. Only God can do that. And through Jesus, He did. God showed His amazing love for us by creating a path back to Him, a way for the effects of sin to be washed away. This is what Jesus was talking about in John 3:16.

Paul backs Jesus up when he writes that we come to saving faith in Jesus simply by believing in Him and confessing that He is Lord (Rom. 10:9-10, Eph. 2:4-10). This is the Gospel! This is the hope you will be bringing to those you’re preparing to serve.

As you wrap up this first day of preparation, set aside time to spend in focused prayer. Pray to God asking Him to prepare the hearts of the people you are going to be serving. Ask Him to work within you to awaken your desire to share the Gospel, in your words and your actions, with those who most need it. Ask Him to work in mighty ways in the upcoming days. And trust that He will.

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If you’ve ever known friends or family members who have served in the military, you’ve likely heard them mention their orders. In the military, your orders are what tell you where to go, what to do, and how long you’ll be doing it. Has your family ever moved because of one of your par-ents' jobs? The concept is the same. Someone in your mom or dad’s company decided it would be best if your mom or dad served the company in another city. And so your family moved. If you’ve played sports, plays work the same way. A football or basketball play is nothing but a set of orders that tells you what your role is in accomplishing a specific outcome.

Yesterday you focused on the Gospel. We talked about the Gospel being the power that compels us to go on mission. Today we want to build on this. The Gospel may be what powers your mission, but the Great Commission serves as your marching orders.

You have no doubt heard of the Great Commission. It is a way of describing the last words Matthew records Jesus giving to His disciples. The Great Commission is both a command-ment and a description for Jesus’ disciples, both His original followers and us. Let’s spend a moment unpacking this passage and see what it has to say about the mission experience you’ll soon be undertaking.

Read Matthew 28:18-20. Each verse in this passage teaches us a unique truth. Let’s deal with them separately.

VERSE 18: JESUS ALONE HAS THE POWER TO GIVE SUCH A COMMAND. Think about the idea of Jesus’ authority. How would you describe it? Use the space below.

How does Jesus’ authority impact your role in sharing the Gospel with the world around you?

The word “go” in the original Greek is a present participle, meaning it’s most accurately translated “as you go” or “as you are going.” Jesus’ emphasis isn’t on going, but on

“making disciples.” In your own words what does it mean to make disciples?

How does it change the way you see this command knowing that Jesus wants us to make disciples as we go along in our daily life?

While Jesus doesn’t put special emphasis on the “going,” He does command us to make disciples of “all nations.” How does this impact your thoughts on being sent on mission by God?

As you think about your upcoming mission experience, how do you see yourself faithfully fulfilling Jesus’ command to “make disciples”?

VERSE 20: AS WE LIVE LIFE ON MISSION, WE'RE NEVER ALONE. Jesus promises to be with us no matter if we fail or succeed. What does it do for your confidence that God is with you as you go, regardless of how “effective” you are?

There’s so much truth packed into the Great Commission. It is a description of your identity as a Christ-follower! If you have been saved by faith in Jesus, being a messenger of the Gospel is who you are. This missions experience you’re about to embark on? It’s a sign of your faithfulness to God’s command. But it’s also a chance for you to be who God made you to be. You are God’s plan to reach the nations. And the Great Commission is your marching orders.

VERSE 19: WE ARE COMMANDED TO MAKE DISCIPLES.

WEEK 1 DAY 2

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8

TO THE e n d s OF THE e a r t h

We’ve spent the first two days of preparation laying the groundwork for why we go on mission for God. This day is kind of the last day of foundation work. After today, you’ll begin to build on this foundation some. But we need to make sure we’ve grasped the essentials.

So far, you’ve been reminded that the Gospel is your power-source; it’s what compels you to go on mission. You’ve also been reminded that Jesus’ Great Commission is your marching orders; taking the Gospel to all people is the task that Jesus has set for us as His followers. Today, we’re going to look briefly at the IMPACT the Gospel makes once it is heard and believed. We’re going to do this by looking at the words of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians.

Turn to 2 Corinthians 5 and read verse 17. That’s right. Just one verse. But it’s a super powerful verse!

What this verse speaks to is the change that happens in the life of a person who comes to saving faith in Jesus. Paul doesn’t tell us that we are improved when we come to Christ, or dusted off, or cleaned up. He tells us that the old us is put to death and in its place is a new creation entirely. Not improved. Radically transformed into something entirely different.

This is great news for you. But part of the mission experience you’re about to embark on is what this means for people who have never heard the truth of the Gospel. You have the opportunity to play a role in someone making the transition from death to life. You have the chance to be a part of someone being made completely new. This isn’t a little thing. This is life changing, earth shaking stuff!

And because it’s so cool, let’s take a few moments and consider what it means for you to be a part of this.

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week 1day 3

Think about the old life of sin that is lived without any understanding of God. Think about the new life in Christ made possible when you come to faith in Jesus. In the space provided, spend a moment describing these two lives.

OLD LIFE NEW LIFE

Picture your upcoming missions experience. Describe how it would feel if you were able to be a part of someone moving from a life of sin and death to new life in Christ. How would that make you feel?

In the space below, describe how comfortable you are in your ability to clearly share the Gospel with someone. Why do you think this is? What factors contribute to how you feel?

Spend some time in prayer today asking God to begin to work in your heart to give you confidence in His desire to work through you to bring the Gospel to those who most need it (in your words and in your actions). Ask God to begin preparing you to effectively share your faith with those you will encounter.

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